Psychological Phases of Disaster Response

Psychological Phases of Disaster Response
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Psychological Phases of Disaster Response
A disaster refers to a human-made hazard or natural tragedy that adversely affects people, the environment, or society. Some natural disasters, such as hurricanes, lead to the death of individuals and the destruction of properties worth millions of dollars. In particular, disasters can be predictable, which gives people enough time to buy emergency supplies or vacate vulnerable areas. However, others, such as tsunamis and earthquakes, occur without notice and can cause deaths of many individuals and destruction of properties due to individuals’ unpreparedness. The paper focuses on the five primary psychological phases of disaster responses, namely the pre-disaster, the hero, the honeymoon, the disillusionment, and the reconstruction phases. Additionally, it will depict how these phases of disaster affect the community and individuals and the role of cultural competence in the honeymoon stage of the disaster response.
Explanation of Psychological Phases of Disaster Responses
The pre-disaster phase causes fear and uncertainty depending on the time remaining for a particular calamity to occur. Disasters that occur without warning cause the feeling of vulnerability to the affected communities and might lead to the lack of control to protect oneself, friends, and families. However, the community reactions depend on the type of disaster. Disasters that occur without warning cause the feeling of insecurity, vulnerability, and fears (Ng & Straussman, 2012). On the contrary, predictable disasters, such as hurricanes, can lead to self-blame or guilt if the community or individuals involved did not take warnings seriously. The pre-disaster phase might take minutes, hours, or months (SAMHSA, 2020). Intense emotional reactions can also characterize the pre-disaster phase. Individuals’ reactions depend on the type and magnitude of the disaster expected to occur. For instance, gradual, low-threat disasters have different psychological impacts compared to rapid and dangerous disasters. People’s reactions can be shock or overt panic. Initial disbelief and confusion are followed by family protection and self-preservation. In most cases, individuals and communities rescue their properties and save lives depending on the remaining time before the disaster occurs.
The hero phase of disaster response has a low productivity level and a high activity level. A sense of altruism is present, and the majority of community members and emergency responders exhibit adrenaline-induced behavior to rescue individuals affected by the disaster (Ng & Straussman, 2012). For instance, emergency responders begin rescue and search missions to assist the disaster victims and distribute appropriate resources on the site. The primary goal of the heroic phase is to minimize the damage of properties and save people’s lives. During this phase, there is the impairment of the risk assessment. The heroic phase passes faster into the next stage, which is the honeymoon. There is a shift of emotion in the honeymoon phase. Since the disaster is available, community members and individuals bond, and there are high levels of optimism that things will get better within a short period (Oloruntoba, Sridharan, & Davison, 2018). Health organizations and providers get the opportunity to build good relationships with the affected communities and individuals. They also establish proper relationships with the stakeholders. The affected people and communities feel safe due to the morale of emergency responders, and they appreciate the help. Since some properties and lives are saved, survivors hope that things will return to normal within a short period and resume their normal lives. The honeymoon phase might last for weeks or months.
The disillusionment phase can be said to be the opposite of the honeymoon stage. During this phase, people and communities affected by the disaster know the limits of assistance. Emergency responders start to vacate the disastrous region since they have already provided their help and victims have received the appropriate aid (SAMHSA, 2020). In this phase, optimism usually turns to stress and discouragement, which might cause adverse reactions, such as substance abuse, anger, disappointment, frustration, resentment, or physical exhaustion. Communities and individuals where the disaster occurred experience the feeling of abandonment as they watch others returning to their normal lives. During the phase of disillusionment, survivors start to see a new reality. This stage might last for months or years. Specific events, such as the disaster anniversary, can trigger adverse emotions in individuals and communities. The final stage of the disaster response is the reconstruction phase. Indeed, it is characterized by the feeling of recovery. Communities and people take the responsibility to rebuild their lives. They adjust to reality despite the continual grieving of the lost properties and lives (Ng & Straussman, 2012).
In most cases, the reconstruction phase starts after the disaster anniversary. Emergency responders vacate the disaster site, and individuals assimilate to what happened and accept their “new reality.” The anger, resentment, and grief portrayed by individuals and communities in the disillusionment phase are slowly replaced by acceptance in the reconstruction phase (SAMHSA, 2020). The magnitude of the disaster determines the reconstruction period. For example, it might take years to reconstruct in the case of catastrophic disasters.
Examples of the Community and Individual Responses to Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina occurred on 29th August 2005 in the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. The storm had wind speeds that ranged from 100 to 140 miles per hour. The disaster caused massive flooding since the levees failed to hold floodwaters. More than 200 people died, and over 130,000 homes were damaged during Hurricane Katrina (Eamon, Fitzpatrick, & Truax, 2007). Many individuals from Louisiana, Alabama, New Orleans, and Mississippi were forced to flee from their h...